Devnet is now live! This milestone enables private, client-side smart contract execution with robust public verifiability, a massive milestone for Aztec and the Ethereum community.
To celebrate this milestone, we’re launching Alpha Build, a series of three developer sprints with a USD $100,000 prize pool and the opportunity to deploy on the Aztec Network for the first time.
The first Alpha Build will kick off Monday, August 19th with two additional Alpha Builds happening by mid-November. Alpha Build participants will receive expert mentorship, gain direct access to the team, and connect with a growing community of over 300 developers from around the globe. In addition to cash prizes, top builders will be invited to deploy their applications on the Devnet.
Complete the Alpha Build Application to gain access to the Discord server, and download the Aztec Sandbox to get started.
How Did We Get Here?
Devnet is a culmination of all the hard work and iteration over the past 7 years.
In March 2023, we made a bold commitment to focus on bringing the Aztec Network to life and delivering true programmable privacy. Over the past year and a half, our team has worked tirelessly to bring this vision to life, and their efforts have paid off.
Today, we’re proud to deliver on that commitment and unveil a live Devnet, realizing the integration of all essential components of the tech stack, including Honk, cutting-edge cryptography, Noir for smart contract development, a private execution environment (PXE) for client-side proof generation, and a sequencer for transaction processing and public execution.
Together, they enable private, client-side smart contract execution with robust public verifiability, marking a significant leap forward for the Aztec Network.
More on Alpha Build
Over the next few months, we’ll run three themed Alpha Builds with challenges across the most important use cases in crypto, including payments, gaming, and identity. Privacy expands the design space so you can explore solutions for conditional payments, on and off-chain access control using NFTs stored privately on Aztec, or card games with a shared hidden public state.
The three challenges for Alpha Build One (ab1) will focus on payment use cases with an emphasis on building a UI, Account Abstraction and Fee Abstraction features. If you’re new to Aztec or have been with us from the beginning, ab1 is your chance to dive deep into underexplored problems and designs while contributing to the growing ecosystem.
Complete the Alpha Build Application to gain access to the Discord server, and download the Aztec Sandbox to get started.
ab1 Challenge Overview
The Alpha Build payment challenges are designed to build upon each other, increasing in complexity as the weeks progress. Here’s what you can expect:
- Challenge #1: Wallet
- Develop an interface similar to Daimo/Payy that uses secp256r1 signature verification, similar to FaceID or TouchID.
- Build a web interface to facilitate smooth user interaction with Aztec.
- Challenge #2: Programmable Accounts
- Create custom account contracts with alternative authorization methods than simple digital signatures.
- Integrate transaction authorization through zkemail.
- Implement features for spending limits or a multisig account contract.
- Challenge #3: Programmable Fee
- Design a system to sponsor transaction fees on behalf of users.
- Develop a Paymaster capable of handling payments in multiple tokens.
Throughout the challenges, the DevRel Team will provide Discord support and host weekly office hours from 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. ET every Wednesday and Thursday.
Submission Criteria
All submissions for ab1 are due by Sunday, September 15th, 2024, and must include the following:
- A link to the GitHub repo of your project
- A README file that describes how to run and use the applications and or contracts
- X handle
- Telegram
- Discord username
Let’s Create the Future of Payments, Together
Don’t miss this opportunity to deploy on the Aztec Network for the first time.
To get started, fill out the Alpha Build Application. We will review applications and, if selected, invite you to join a private Discord channel for our Alpha Build.
The Devnet Live Celebration will be on Friday, August 16th, 2024, at 11:30 a.m. ET on X. Join Cat, our Developer Relations Engineer, and President and Co-Founder, Joe Andrews as they dive deep into Alpha Build season, exploring challenges, themes, and innovative ideas.
